Adjustor for the reception of lock catches



o. w; MANN Dec. 9, 1958 ADJUSTOR FOR THE RECEPTION OF LOCK CATCHES FiledAug. 23, 1956 FIG.2

FIG.6

FIG.9

INVENTOR OSWALD WYNDHAM MANN United States Patent ce ADJUSTOR FOR THERECEPTION OF LOCK CATCHES Oswald Wyndham Mann, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaApplication. August 23,. 1956, Serial; No. 605,879 1 Claim. (Cl;292-34118) The invention relates to an adjustor for the reception oflock catches as described in the present specification and illustratedin the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of the novel features of constructionas pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims for noveltyfollowing a description containing an explanation in detail ofacceptable forms of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to secure the catch particularly indoors, regardless of how much play may have occurred between the dooredge and the door jamb, due to warping, settling, or because of wear andtear in the catch chamber or strike plate; to accomplish this purpose ina simple effective and economical manner with a minimum of effort andwithout the requirement of any mechanical skill; and generally toprovide an adjustor for the reception of catches which will be simple toinstall, durable in construction and efficient for its purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the adjustor plate.

Figure 2 is a plan view of an insert.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the introduction of aninsert in the slot of the adjustor plate.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a door jamb illustrating a strikeplate secured thereto and the adjustor plate mounted between the strikeplate and the jamb surface.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view as taken on the lines 55 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of a door jamb illustrating the use ofthe adjustor for a strike plate and the introduction of an insert.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional as taken on lines 77 in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of a door jamb having a strike platesecured thereto, and showing an adjustor plate between the door jamb andthe strike plate and the application of a plurality of inserts.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional as taken on the lines 9-9 in Figure 8.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the variousfigures.

For the purpose of this description, the invention will be explained foruse in relation to the spring catch currently used in door lockconnection, but it is obvious that the idea can be employed to anyconstruction where such security is desirable, such as cabinets, desks,doors or other structures.

Referring to the drawings, the fitting consists of a strike plateadjustor, as indicated by the numeral 10, provided with a lip 11 and aslot 12, the plate proper having a fiat surface with the lip projectinglaterally along one edge thereof and being slightly bevelled at the topacross its length to facilitate the latch in finding its position as at13. The slot 12 extends longitudinally in the flat portion of the plateadjacent to the lip portion for the introduction therein an insert orinserts 14 as a means of increasing the adjustment over the primaryadjustment made by the lip of the adjustor.

The construction of the lock catches formed in a door jamb is. similarto such construction as are being used at the present time, that is tosay, a recess 15 is; formed in the door jamb, for the reception of alock catch, and the strike plate 17 surrounds the recess 15 and isvsecured to the door jamb 16 and isxprovided with a catch open ingcoinciding with the recess in the door jamb. The striker plate is.formed in the usual manner with an offset portion 18 which forms anintegral part of the plate.

The. plate adjustor 10 is located between the door jamb and the offsetportion 18' of the strike plate 17 and having the slotted portionthereof and the lip protruding into the recess 15 of the door jamb andthe amount of protrusion will depend on the adjustment necessary betweenthe inner recess portion or contact surface of the strike plate and thecatch.

The insert piece 14 is formed of a flat piece of stiff material having avertical section 19 which is provided with an integral lateral strip 20set at an angle from the vertical section so that when the insert pieceis inserted through the slot of the strike plate adjustor it will beself locked therein so as to prevent any possibility of the insert beingpushed out of its position. The vertical section 19 of the insert willthus be kept in close abutment with the lip 11 of the plate adjustor andthere will be little chance of the insert being disengaged from itsposition.

In certain cases where the lock catch does not properly engage with thestrike plate, it may only be necessary to use the adjustor plate whichis introduced between the face of a door jamb and the offset portion ofthe strike plate and the lip of the adjustor will form the contactsurface for the catch, and as this' lip has a bevel edge its insures aproper engagement therewith by the lock catch and even though the lattermay have certain portions of its contact surface worn or out ofalignment due to warping, settling, by the door frame, door, flooring orother causes.

Wherever the use of the plate adjustor is not sufficient in itself aninsert or inserts may be inserted in the slot of the plate adjustor andact as spacers between the lip portion of the adjustor and the contactsurface of the strike plate, and in that way, the lip of the plateadjustor may be projected further into the recess of the door jamb forproper engaging contact with the lock catch.

All that is necessary to make the necessary adjustment is to loosen thefastening members of the strike plate from the door jamb so as to leavesufiicient space between the offset portion of the strike plate and thedoor jamb surface for the introduction of the plate adjustor and whenthe lip portion thereof is located in the recess of the jamb all that isnecessary to be done is to push the lip in close abutment with thebearing edge of the strike plate, and then tighten the fasteningmembers. In that Way a new bearing surface is made for contact with thelock catch.

If the use of the plate adjustor alone is not suflicient, the adjustoris projected further into the recess so as to include a portion or allof the slot thereof within the recess and one or more inserts or spacersare inserted in the slot of the adjustor and are self locked therein,and then the lip and the accompanying spacers are pushed in closeabutment with the bearing surface or edge of the strike plate.

It will be of course understood that modifications and 3 What I claimis: In an adjustor for the reception of a lock catch, a door jamb havinga recess forming a catch chamber, a strike plate secured to said doorjamb and encircling the recess formed therein and having an offsetportion, a strike plate adjustor formed of a flat strip having one endturned outwards to form a lip with a slight bevel and provided with avertical slot adjacent to the lip, said strike plate adjustor adapted tobe introduced at any desired vertical location between the offsetportion of said strike plate and said door jarnb in such a way that thelip portion thereof will be wholly and the slot portion at leastpartially located in the catch chamber, and adjusting self lockinginserts formed of fiat pieces of stifi material of varying thicknesses,each insert having a vertical section provided with an integral lateralstrip set at an angle from the vertical section, said inserts adapted tobe introduced into the slot of said strike plate adjustor and to be selflocked therein and to come into abutment with the lip portion of saidstrike plate adjustor and the edge of the strike plate so as to formadjustable holding spacers between the lip and the strike plate, the lipportion of the strike plate adjustor forming a contact surface forengagement with said lock catch at all times.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

